Interdisciplinary - Engineering Series and Computer Science

Summary This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The incumbent serves as a technical expert on instrumentation development, managing, coordinating, reviewing, and providing expert engineering advice to scientists relative to the CBRNE R&D testing and evaluation effort. Learn more about this agency Duties This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated August 12,2024. As a Interdisciplinary - Engineering Series and Computer Science at the GS-0801/0830/0854/0855/1550-11/12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include: Serve as the lead technical authority by independently developing, designing, and approving innovative instrumentation plans for complex high-explosive weapons effects tests. Direct multi-disciplinary contractor teams by planning work, defining technical requirements, and validating performance to ensure mission objectives are successfully met. Lead the design, installation, and operation of advanced diagnostic systems including high-speed cameras, infrared imagers, and data acquisition systems for large-scale data capture. Pioneer and implement novel measurement techniques and data conditioning methods to solve complex diagnostic challenges and ensure maximum data fidelity. Manage instrumentation budget and schedule inputs across multiple programs, monitoring resources and integrating modifications to meet dynamic test requirements. Represent the agency as the senior instrumentation expert in classified meetings with inter-agency and international partners to align technical capabilities with strategic objectives. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a U.S. Citizen Frequent Travel Work Schedule: Full-time Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation May be required to successfully complete a probationary period Overtime: 10% Tour of Duty: Flexible Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized if funds available and with approval from hiring manager Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): GS-12 and GS-13 Exempt / GS-11 Non-Exempt Financial Disclosure: Not Required Telework Eligibility: This position may be eligible for limited, situational telework subject to supervisory approval and not to exceed current Agency guidelines. This position is not eligible for remote telework. Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret/SCI Security Clearance. Must consent to and pass pre-employment drug testing and be subject to periodic random drug testing thereafter. Travel in the performance of temporary duty assignments is required (up to 60% of the time). Required to possess a valid driver's license. Qualifications This position has basic requirements established by the OPM Qualification Standards for the Electronics Engineering - 0855/ Mechanical Engineering - 0830/ General Engineering - 0801/ Computer Engineering - 0854/ Computer Science - 1550 series positions. From the descriptions below, select the letter that best describes how you meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for this series. A. For Engineering series 0855/0830/0801/0854- Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. B. For Engineering series 0855/0830/0801/0854 - Combination of education and experience - college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.) C. For Computer Science series 1550 - Degree: computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. (Must provide transcripts) You may qualify at the GS-11, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector. Specialized experience is defined as: Assisting with or supporting instrumentation and diagnostic projects Applying engineering principles to support the development of instrumentation plans for scientific or engineering tests Installing, calibrating, and operating electronic sensors and data acquisition systems in a laboratory or field test environment under supervision Assisting in the collection, recording, and quality check of test data B. For the GS-11 grade level: I have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR C. You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector. Specialized experience is defined as: Developing and implementing instrumentation and data acquisition plans for scientific or weapons effects testing Overseeing the work of technicians or contractor teams in the installation and operation of various sensor systems (such as high-speed cameras, infrared systems, and/or data recorders) Providing technical input to project leadership on scheduling, budgeting, and system modifications for instrumentation efforts Performing and managing complex instrumentation and diagnostic projects You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, military or private sector. Specialized experience is defined as: Leading or directing the full life cycle of complex instrumentation and diagnostic projects Serving as a technical authority to develop, design, and approve instrumentation and data acquisition plans for large-scale scientific or weapons effects testing Providing technical oversight and direction to contractor teams responsible for installing, operating, and maintaining advanced sensor systems (such as high-speed cameras, infrared systems, or multi-channel data recorders) Independently managing project schedules and budgets for instrumentation efforts and representing an organization's technical interests with external partners ALL EXPERIENCE MUST BE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED IN YOUR RESUME Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for GS-12 & GS-13 grade levels. GS-11 ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html Additional information This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated August 12,2024. RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF?ver=LQ7feWw-8-5DI2tceUpmgA%3d%3d All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)) Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.